Suspicious Fire Hits Family Business

Published January 4th, 2012

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It was a bonfire that could lead to criminal charges.

One of the two storage barns at Tom's Cypress Shop, 15455 NE US Hwy. 301 in Waldo is gone. The flames that turned it all to ash were noticed by a nearby restaurant employee shortly before 11:00 PM Tuesday.

A 100 x 40 pole barn was burning top to bottom when help arrived.

Traffic along US Hwy. 301 was diverted for three hours, as firefighters worked to contain the blaze.

The state fire marshal has classified the fire as "suspicious."

"There was no electricity going out to it, there was no storms in the area, there was no reason for it to just start," said Michael Szabo, Waldo Police Chief.

Employees say everything was fine when they left at five o'clock Tuesday night.